Lucky for us baby-boomers, we’re all inspired beings and not quite like any other generation of women. As we got older, we found there was less hurry-hurry and rush-rush and more time for creative expression. The idea of getting older and useless just does not compute for us. We use to think 50 to 60 was old. Now we think 70 to 80 is old with 79 being the average age mortality for women. Pablo Picasso once said, “It takes a long time to become young.” He could easily have added, “And a lot of food.”

There’s no longer the slightest doubt that eating the right foods is the key to preventing heart disease, cancer, and other age-related diseases. Eating right can help our cells repair and replace themselves more quickly, transport energy and get rid of waste and toxins more efficiently. Take a bite out of aging and boost your youth hormones at the same time! Remember to choose the senior meals when eating out, as eating less reduces the body’s production of age-accelerators.

Studies of older women find that midlife and beyond mean more choices, more opportunities and more freedom. There are even more financial and social perks now that were in short supply during our younger days. Instead of hitting the recliner, we’re returning to school or to work, advancing our education, finding new interests and discovering or rediscovering suppressed talents.

We can thank Affirmative Action that helped open up education, employment, and business for our generation of women. Most of us understand that Affirmative Action is necessary to develop a strong workforce without gender or racial bias. Women of all ages have a lot to offer their communities and Affirmative Action helped insure that everyone gets the chance to experience the American dream.

Most of us know exercising is the best anti-aging medicine in the world. For those of us with mobility problems, we can exercise in water and suffer less stress on our joints. Studies suggest that regular exercise may boost our bodies’ levels of antioxidants, jumping our immunity and energy systems into high gear. It also helps prevent the free-radical damages that tend to gum up our aging bodies.

Women are living past menopause longer than those of previous generations. Over the last 20 years or so we have been enjoying unprecedented opportunities for preserving our looks and good health. When we look good, we feel good. When we feel good, our self-esteem soars and the fire in our bellies lights up our eyes. Enjoy some of the perks of aging below:

1. We can laugh in public, be affectionate, be spicy and indelicate
2. We know and trust ourselves, our abilities and capabilities
3. We can say No! and mean it without guilt or explanation
4. We’ve earned the privilege to be unique and in control
5. We have more time to let our creative juices flow
6. We don’t have to prove ourselves to anybody or anyone so we
can try anything.
7. Sex becomes less about performance and more about tenderness and sharing
8. We don’t have to cook if we don’t want to; my motto is forage, take out or take me out!
9. Like our pets, we can now snooze when we choose without guilt

Freud himself believes if we pay attention to our intuitions, we can inevitably reinforce our natural resistance to aging, illness and pain. A longer life is often a sweeter life, according to research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health. They found that those who occasionally splurged on a sweet treat lived almost a year longer than those who did not. Maybe, we aren’t the same as we were when in 20’s, but growing older isn’t without its perks.

by Joyce White
www.wingedforhealing.com
www.joycewhiteblog.com
www.sculptingtheheartblog.com

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